Saturday, August 12, 2006

"An Open Letter To A Clairvoyant -The Invisible War”.

It is because I care that I am writing to you today.We met briefly recently, and spoke for awhile. I recognize you as a very bright, caring loving person. I think there are many qualities about you that are outstanding. Your sensitivity towards others is amazing. But there is something that concerns me. I know that this is not a major thing to you, for you are much, much more than this thing. Your qualities of caring, compassion and concern are tremendously admirable. But you mentioned in passing that you believed God had given you a “gift”. I believe God has given you many, many gifts. You are one of the most gifted people I have met. You mentioned that the gift God had given you is clairvoyance.Now I understand that you are sensitive towards other people, and can understand the ways of people very, very well. But clairvoyance, by its definition, involves receptivity towards “spirits”.God’s word has some very direct things to say about this, but to just address the issue of clairvoyance at that level is superficial.God’s Word says about clairvoyance:Deuteronomy 18: 9 “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. 10 No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire, practice • divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, 11 cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. 12 Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things. 13 You must be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do this. 15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.Leviticus 20:6 “Whoever turns to mediums or spiritists and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn against that person and cut him off from his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep My statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sets you apart.Isaiah 8:19-22 When they say to you, “Consult the spirits of the dead and the spiritists who chirp and mutter,” shouldn’t a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there will be no dawn for them. 21 They will wander through the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged, and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. 22 They will look toward the earth and see only distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction, and they will be driven into thick darkness.The condemnations of clairvoyance seem to our modern ears severe.The issues seem superficial, but the reality is so much deeper.The deeper issues have to do with what one author termed “The Invisible War”.The Invisible War has to do with 2 realms, 2 Rivals and 2 Rulers.Two Different RealmsThe Kingdom of God, and the dominion of SatanIt is not insignificant that the Gospels begin with Jesus preaching the Kingdom. Matthew tells us that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested. The final testing is pivotal when the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and offered Him all the kingdoms of the world if He would but worship him. Jesus' immediate response was to quote from Deuteronomy 6 which underlines the exclusive worship of the Lord your God. It is not insignificant to notice that the testing is followed by the note of John's arrest and Jesus' ministry in Galilee. Listen to 4:17: From then on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!" The implication of the verse is clear — the preaching of the Kingdom was not a casual and momentary matter, but a convictional and continual one.In Luke's gospel we have a slightly different emphasis but with the same bottom line. His preaching begins in the synagogue in Nazareth. Luke tells us that Jesus read from Isaiah 61 and then declared: Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled (4:21). While there is no specific mention of the term "Kingdom," we have here a clear description of the Kingdom as it invades planet earth. This Old Testament reference with its emphasis on redemption, freedom, social justice for the oppressed, and sight for the blind is a reference to the invasion of the Kingdom through the ministry and preaching of Jesus.Mark tells us with brevity and power that after John was arrested, Jesus began preaching the good news of God. Mk 1:14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee, preaching the good news of God: 15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!”Mark's emphasis on "time fulfilled" indicates that Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom signals a major turning point in the history of redemption. History is moving toward an ultimate goal under the direct supervision of God.John's first mention of the Kingdom is found in Nathanael's declaration: "Rabbi," Nathanael replied, "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:49). Nathanael had been impressed that Jesus had seen him under the fig tree before Philip had called him to follow Jesus. Jesus thus assures him that much more is in store as he sees heaven opened and the angels descending on the Son of Man. The imagery of the Kingdom is not far in the background. The first specific mention of the Kingdom in John's gospel is found in Jesus' message to Nicodemus: I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.To grasp the significance of the message of the Kingdom in the ministry of Jesus we can also resort to a statistical analysis. The term basileia (kingdom) occurs 162 times in the New Testament and 121 of those are in the Synoptic Gospels where the preaching of Jesus is recorded. The formula "kingdom of God" or the "kingdom of heaven" occurs 104 times in the Gospels. This message is not only the inaugural message of Jesus and the focus of His great Sermon on the Mount, it is His final message. Acts 1:3 After He had suffered, He also presented Himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God.“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..”Those familiar words invite us to consider our own relationship with the two kingdoms that are at war supernaturally in our world.This war is not a silent one. It is not a superficial one, but is the substrata to everything that occurs in our world today. It is something that you are involved in, whether you realise it or not.For he is the living God and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.He rescues and saves his people; He performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. Daniel 6:26-27 NLTMatthew 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." NIVMatthew 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. NIVMatthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. NIVMatthew 6:9-10 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. NIVMatthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. NIVMatthew 10:6-8 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. NIVMatthew 13:11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. NIVMatthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." NIVMatthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. NIV

The kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God. It’s where God’s will is done, on earth as it is in heaven. It is where and when people obey God, think like God and live God’s way.It has three aspects to it.There is the Kingdom of God as the Kingdom of GloryThere is the Kingdom of God as the Kingdom of GraceThere is the Kingdom of God as the Kingdom of God’s Providential ruling over all.

Listen to 16th century Puritan Thomas Manton,“First, There is a universal kingdom over all things; over angels and devils; over men elect and reprobate; over beasts and living creatures; and over inanimate things, sun, moon, and stars. This is spoken of: 1 Chron. xxix 11, ' Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou are exalted as head above all.' And again: Ps. ciii. 19, 'The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.' There is no such monarch as God is, for largeness of empire, for absoluteness of power, and sublimity of his throne. This is not principally understood here, but is implied as a foundation and ground of faith, whereupon we may deal with God about that kingdom, which is specially intended in this request.Secondly, More particularly and especially, God hath a kingdom over a certain order and estate of men. Of this especial kingdom there are two notable branches and considerations. One is that administration which belongeth to the present life, and is called ' the kingdom of grace; ' and the other belongeth to the life to come, and is called ' the kingdom of glory.'The kingdom of grace is spoken of in many places, specially that: Luke xvii. 20, 21, 'When he was demanded of the Pharisees when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.' Or 'among you'. He speaks of a kingdom of God that was already come among them in the dispensation of his grace by Christ. And, then, the other belongeth to the life to come, called the kingdom of glory: Mat. xxv. 34, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ' 1 Cor xv. 50, ' Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.’ “The other Kingdom’s realm? The devil is called the god of this age, the god of this world. (KJV)The kingdom of the ruler of this world. 2 Cor 4:4But if, in fact, our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 Regarding them: the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves because of Jesus. 6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness”—He has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.It feels so natural. It feels so fulfilling It has so much stuff associated to it. It seems so helpful to othersCol 1:13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,Yes there is another realm, and that realm is commanded by Satan. Where is that world?That world is the here and now world.Here how the apostle John describes it 1John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true One. We are in the true One—that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Two Different RivalsYou see, This Invisible War, is all about two Rivals.Satan, and God.Now you night say, “Yes I remember, it began in the garden!”Well, No. It began in heavenIt began In RebellionIsaiah 14:12 Shining morning star, how you have fallen from the heavens! You destroyer of nations, you have been cut down to the ground. 13 You said to yourself: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will set up my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of the gods’ assembly, in the remotest parts of the North. 14 I will ascend above the highest clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you will be brought down to Sheol into the deepest regions of the Pit.Ezekiel 28:12-15 Thus says the Lord God, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering…. You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you."Ezekiel 28:17 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor."Satan wanted the glory of God for his own. He wanted to be God. But he is only a created being. An angel. He may have been the chief among the angels. But that he is and no more than that.God is eternal by nature, the uncreated Creator. Immortal invisible, God only wise.

Two Different RulersToday in our world, among the general population 99.9% may not be clairvoyants, but 100% are sinners in rebellion.100 % need to bring their lives out from beneath the realm of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s own Son. Col 1:14There are two very different Rulers who can run your life. If the Lord Jesus doesn’t run your life, whether you know it or not, Satan will run your life.Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also. 4 But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! 6 He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in [His]kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.The choice is between the Lord Jesus Christ and Satan. Who will you serve?You don’t need a priest to stand between you and God or between you and Satan.You don’t need a pastor to exorcise you. Sometimes well meaning people get in the way between the God and the people they are so trying to help.A good pastor will always point people to the Lord. He will always try and connect them to the Lord Himself.Satan’s best trick is to substitute. He is called the deceiver. He will substitute a false gospel for the true one.He will substitute an inadequate Saviour for the true One. You need God to bring you to the Lord Jesus Christ.Colossians 1: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:He is the Redeemer.He is the Rightful RulerMark 12:1 Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 2 At harvest time he sent a slave to the farmers to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers. 3 But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent another slave to them, and they hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 Then he sent another, and they killed that one. He also sent many others; they beat some and they killed some. 6 “He still had one to send, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 “But those tenant farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ 8 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 “Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 11 This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes?” 12 Because they knew He had said this parable against them, they were looking for a way to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left Him and went away.

Mark 1:15: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. The phrase "time is fulfilled" underlines the biblical premise that history is to be interpreted in a linear fashion. God is moving history to an ultimate goal and purpose. This is a distinctly different view than the cyclical view endorsed by many of our hearers who have been influenced by new age mysticism. This theme will help us to keep daily events in their proper biblical perspective.Second, since the Kingdom of God is about God's rule and reign, the initial and ongoing human response must be repentance, which includes the submitting of our will to the will of God. Here again we are faced with the pervading question of whether we live in a manner that advances God's Kingdom or our own.Third, since the full expression of the Kingdom is "not yet," man must "believe in the gospel." God's Kingdom is not perceived by human sight — it is fully appropriated only by faith. Thus we can understand why we must become like little children to comprehend the Kingdom. We must preach in such a manner to help our people replace childish faith with childlike faith.Fourth, the phrase, "is at hand" reminds us the Kingdom has not yet fully invaded our planet. When Jesus made this declaration, the Kingdom was "at hand" in the flesh. It was fully expressed in the Son of Man, yet not fully realized on earth or even among His followers. Nonetheless, the seed of the Kingdom had been sown, and the harvest of the Kingdom is now assured. Since the Kingdom came in Jesus but is not yet complete, there is the open invitation for us to be involved in the advance of the Kingdom.RepentWhile the word repent has many facets, at its most basic it means to turn. It means to turn from going in the direction we have been traveling, into a different direction. We turn because we have understood that the direction we were going that seemed so good, was actually in the realm of the Evil One.It means we turn to Him who is the Redeemer, the rightful Ruler,1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit, 6 and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit. 7 As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out, so we don’t need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Have you entered the Kingdom of God? The Lord Jesus spoke of its incredible worth in two short parables:Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it.

ReturnRepentance is not just a once for all thing. We are continually to be repenting. We are continually be returning to our Father, our Saviour. Our salvation, our Redemption is a once for all thing. The Lord Jesus died but once. He died to cover all your sins with His Blood. He died to make atonement for your sins. How many of your sins were yet future the Lord Jesus when He died for you? All of them. Your past sins. Your present sins. Your future sins! He died once for them all. Your Salvation is secure.Your redemption is secure. He has bought you back, like a slave on the auction block. He paid the price to redeem you from His rival. The price was the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The issue is not who He paid the price to (He didn’t pay it to Satan, He paid it to the Justice of God), the issue is that the price of your redemption has paid for.The Lord Jesus will not allow the evil one to have any power over those Whom He has redeemed at the price of His blood.Col 1:13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one.John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”Respond To The KingHave You Given Your Allegiance To The King?How do you respond to the Kingdom of God today? The apostle Paul wrote of this in Romans14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.It is the realm in which all Christians are to live in. It is the reign of God in the hearts of Christians.This kingdom exists in whatever heart that God reigns supreme in. If God is your Saviour and King, then you are automatically a part of this Kingdom. On the other hand, if God does not reign as Saviour and King in your heart, then you are not a part of this kingdom, even though you profess to be a Christian.The Kingdom does not consist of physical concerns and things such as food & drink, but:a. Righteousness: being in right standing with God: being free from sin; being holy; pursuing Godliness.b. Peace: with God (no unforgiven sin, in relationship with Him) with man (fellow Christians and the unsaved)c. Joy: based upon who God is, not our circumstances. Since God is unchangeable, joy based upon Him is secure.This is how the subjects of this kingdom live. This is what they do:They live free from sin (not indulging in it) They pursue holiness & godliness. They crave peace with God and peace with men. Joy is the natural outcome of living like this!Those that pursue and practice these traits will be subjects of this kingdom.Those that don’t, wont. Simple as that. You don’t become a member because you want to, but because of what you do, and who you are. This is where their' interests will be...they will have a deep desire to imitate Christ.This is where their' allegiance will be...nothing else will be as important to them.Have You Become An Ambassador For The King?Acts 28:30 Then he stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with full boldness and without hindrance.Our first responsibility is to pray. The focus of the Prayer of Jesus in Matthew 6 was to fast-forward Kingdom realities into present-day relationships. Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God's Kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven. When we listen to our prayers, we often find that they are focused on issues of our kingdom and not His. Even our requests for bread, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil all have the intended results of enabling us to focus on His Kingdom.Our second responsibility is to preach. We must boldly declare the gospel of the Kingdom. Even a cursory reading of Acts indicates that the Holy Spirit provided the members of the early church with the empowering to boldly declare the gospel. Statistics among all evangelicals tell us the church has not been very bold in declaring this incredible news about the Kingdom of God.Thirdly, we have the firm assurance that the rightful King is returning.

Isaac Watts wrote some tremendous hymns three hundred years ago, which are unavailable to us now. Here are the words of one of those hymns.

I hate the tempter and his charms, I hate his flattering breath;The serpent takes a thousand forms to cheat our souls to death.He feeds our hopes with airy dreams, Or kills with slavish fear;And holds us still in wide extremes, Presumption or despair.Now he persuades ‘How easy ‘tis To walk the road to heaven;’Anon he swells our sins and cries ‘They cannot be forgiven.’Thus he supports his cruel throne By mischief and deceit,And drags the sons of Adam down To darkness and the pit.Now he appears almost divine, Like innocence and love;But the old serpent lurks within When he assumes the dove.Fly from the false deceiver’s tongue Ye sons of Adam fly;Our parents found the snare too strong, Nor should the children try.Almighty God! Cut short his power, Let him in darkness dwell;And that he vex the earth no more, Confine him down to hell.